Combined muffler and vaporizer



Juy 3,1923.

PDUNLAP l COMBINED MUFFLER AND VAOBIZER Filed July 11, 1921 Y 2 sheets-shew` 1v Julys, 1923. l 1.460.664 P. DUNLAP Y COMBINED MUFFLER AND VAPORIZER Filed July 1i. 1921 2 sheets-smet 2 l fw@ Patented July 3, 1923.

.,UNITED' STATES PAUL nUNLAr, or RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA.

' v001112131311511) MUFFLER AND VAPORIZR.

'y Applicationled July 11,' 1921. Serial No. 483,938.

To all whom. t may concern Be it known that I, PAUL DUNLAP, a citizen of the United States, residing at ldicluV mond, in thecounty of Contra Costa and- State of California, have invented certain ynewy and useful Improvements in a Combined Muffler and Vaporizer; and l do hereby declare .the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe inventiom such as 'it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to an explosive eni gine Iadjunct whereby the exhaust is muffled and utilized. as means to facilitate the va-` porization of crude oil and likey lo-w grade `fuel whereby the samejmay be vadvantageously used as gas producing means in the operation of the engine. y.

Other objects and advantages will -be apparentand suggest themselves as-the nat-ure 4 Iofthe invention is understood; Y

'While the vdrawings illustrate an embodi` ment of the invention it is to be understood that in-fadapting the ysame to `meet different conditions and requirements,-various changes Ain the form, proportion and minor details Y of 'constructionA may be resorted-to without departing Afrom the nature of the invention,

a'nce' with andemb'odying the essential fea-` tures of the invention,

Figure '2 is avertical central longitudinal section thereof, i

Figure 3. is a transverse section on the line azzof Figure 2 looking inthedirection of thearrows, and

Figure 4 is a section on the .line ofy Figure 2.

Corresponding like parts are' referred to in the following description and desig.

natedV in the several views ofthe drawing by like reference characters.

The device comprises'a drum 1 suchv as' usually provided for the eXhaust'of internal combustion engines; The receiving end of the drumll is made. tapering'as indicated at 2 `and theeXhaust pipe 3i connects centrallyi therewith.The '1rear endiofthe drum 1'isv flat and prvidedcentrally `-with A an outlet 4 withwhichthe'exhaust'pipel connects; l A drum 5 correspondinglin outline to 'thedrum 1 is disposed concentrically within; they latter and spaced therefrom. The pointed end eferring to the accompanying vdrawings deflect the gases in their passage throughthe space 7 formed between the two drums. Baflies 8 project inwardly from the wall of the outer drum 1 and other baffles 9 project j outwardly from thefdrum` fand are disposed intermediate the faces ofV thebaffles l 8 wherebyto retard the passage of the'gases will enable others skilled inthe art ktowhich and compel them to takey atortuous o-r continuous'path. AThe baffles,.arefrearwardlyV inc-lined so as to-offer a minimumresistance 1 tothe 'flow offthegases while elfecting'a deflection thereof. The baffles 8 and 9 conf sist of vrings whichare attached at one edge to the respective drums-. k-

. A pipe 10 connects with the upper portion ofthe inner drum 5 near the'rear end therex vof 'and extends 'across thev space 7'. and

through the drum 1. The receiving .end of v the pipe 10 'constitutes a mixing chamber for fthe kair andfuel-and is "provided, at its,

inner end with a valveseat 11 upon which.

closes a valve 12. lThe stem 13 of the valve 12 engages the inner e'nd `of a lever 14 pivoted to a siderof the pipe 10'and 'extending therethrough. The outer end .of the lever 14 is adapted tobe connected with a control! ling element understood. 6- l :An air pipe 15 extends verticallythrough.

the rear portions ofthe drums 1 andy and its upper end'conn'ects with'thevalve seatj 1-1. The lower :end of the air pipe 15 terminates a short distance below the drum-1 and is providedwith an' externally .threaded detachably connected. The-stem 13 of the (not shown) in a manner well 1 yflange 16 with which lan air vstrainer-22 Ais pansible helical spring 17 which assists ma-v terially Vin the'seating of the valve 12.

A fuel pipe .lfzextendv through vtheY rear portion `of thedrums 1 and=5 and terminates f ina spray nozzle19 withinthelower rearl portion 1 of the drum 5,"the fuel pipe 18 is provided inits. lengthwith a valve 2Owhichl is connectedy with: the 'Stem' 13Jby means of arod 21 or like 'part whereby movementof the stem 13 to unseat the valve 12 'alsolopf erates to4 open thetvalve20 .to permit of an increased supplyof'fuel tothe drum 5.

`The air fstrainer 22 comprises an internal-s ly threaded collar22tomake a-screw-thread engagement with the flange 161anda wirev frame: 23 having its .element *attached to the collar 22. A wire gauze 24 envelopes the frame 23 and is supported thereby and is retained in position by means of an elastic or spring band 25 engaging the upper gathered end of the fabric 24 and the collar 22. The wire gauze 24 or similar material excludes dust and prevents the same entering the air pipe 15 and passing to the engine. The inner wall of the pipe 10 is rifiied or provided with a spiral plate 26 whereby to impart a whirling motion to the air and gas to cause a thorough admixture thereof and assist materially in breaking up particles of the fuel to obtain the maximum vaporization thereof.

A bathe 27 is disposed within the drum 5 and is arranged horizontally and secured at its rear end t-o the rear end of the drum 5 and at its longitudinal edges to the inner wall of the drum 5 at diametrically opposite points. The baffle 27 consists of a plate and its forward end is spaced from the front end of the drum 5. The space in the lower portion of the drum 5 below the baffle 27 is filled with loose elements 29 which preferably consists of wire. The spaces between the element 29 constitute in eeet innumerable minute passages for the circulation of the fuel whereby affording ample opportinity for proper heating of the same to insure vaporization thereof when escaping into the mixing chamber at the receiving end of the pipe 10.

When the device is in operation the fuel is supplied to the drum 5 by means of the pipe 18 and is sprayed by the nozzle 19 into the rear portion of the spacebelow the baffle 27 and is heated in its passage through the spaces formed between the elements 29 and is further heated in its travel through the upper portion of the drum 5 above the baffle 27 and escapes into the pipe 10 through outlets 11a at the seat 11 which are adapted to be closed by means of the valve 12. Vhen the valve 12 is unseated the suction created in the pipe 10 by means of the engine draws air through the pipe 15 and fuel from the drum 5. The fuel in a vaporized state meets the air at the seat 11; which coincides with the entrance of the opening chamber and the mixture of air and gas passes through the pipe to the engine in a manne-r well understood. A whirling movement is imparted tothe gaseous mixturel in its travel through the pipe 1() by reason of the whirling or spiral plate 26 thereby insuring a thoroughagitation of theI mixture and a breaking up of the particles of fuel prior to the entrance of the gas into the, engine.

Wh'le the invention is designed chiefly for low grade oil it is equally cle-ar that liquid fuel of any grade and nature may be utilized, the more volatile the fuel the more easily will the same vaporize.

The air strainer is detachably connected to the air pipe 15 preferably by screw threads as shown, however, the connection may be made in any way so long as the strainer is removable and secure when in position. The gauze 24 may be of any fabric-textile or otherwise, so long as the mesh is sufiiciently line to exclude dust without materially impeding the iiow of air Having thus described the invention, what I claim isz- 1. A combined muiier and vaporizer comprising spaced outer and inner drums, means for circulatingthe exhaust from the engine through the space between the two drums,

means for supplying fuel to the inner drum and an air pipe extending through the two drums and across the space formed between them, said pipe having an opening communication with the inner .drum to receive the vaporized fuel therefrom7 a valve for con` trolling the passage of air and vaporized fuel through said pipe and into the mixing chamber connected therewith, and baffles in the space formed between the two drums to retard the passage of the, exhaust and cause thehsame to make a tortuous or continuous pat 2. A combined muffler and vaporizer cornprising spaced outer andl inner drums, means for circulating the exhaust from the engine through the space between the two drums,

means for supplying fuel to the inner drum and an air pipe extending through the two drums and across the space formed between them, said pipe having an opening communication with the inner drum to receive the vaporized fuel therefrom, a valve for controlling the passage of air and vaporized fuel through'said pipe andY into the mixing chamber connected therewith, and bathings means within the inner vdrum to cause the y' chamber .connected therewith, a baihe plate,

in the inner drum dividing the same into upper .and lower spaces which are inconimunication at their forward ends and loose elements in the lower space providing mi# nute passages for the dow of the fuel. and anV extending heating4 surface therefor.'

4. A combined` mufier and vaporizer comprising spaced outer and inner drums, means for circulatingfthe from'the engine through the space between the two drums, means for supplying' fuel to the inner drum and an air pipe extending through the two drums and across the space formed between them, said pipe having an opening communication with the inner drumto receive the vaporized fuel therefrorn,'a valve for controlling the passage of air and vaporized fuel through said pipe and into the mixing chamber connected therewith, and an air screen applied to the receiving end of said .air pipe for ltering'the air.

and an air pipe extending through the two 'i drums and across thespace formed between them, said pipe havingan'opening commu-` nication with the inner drum to receive the vaporized fuel therefrom, a valve for controlling the passage ofair and vaporized fuel through saidvpipe and into the mixing chamber connected therewith, and a fuel reg# ulating valve operatively connectedwith the aforementioned valve to insure simultaneous `operation of both valves.

vIn testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence ofl two witnesses.y

`Witnesses:

R. KENNEDY, A. PATTERSON.' Y

i PAUL DUNLAP. l 

